Asian Games BMX Racing bronze for Coo

SF | Asian Games BMX Racing bronze for Coo | via PNA | Patrick Coo won bronze in Chun’an on Sunday to continue the Philippines’ BMX cycling medal tradition at the 19th Asian Games.

Team Philippines’ sixth bronze medal came the morning after Ernest John “EJ” Obiena won an expected gold in men’s pole vault.

“I’m very happy but hurting for sure,” said 21-year-old Coo, who injured his right upper thigh after crashing in the opening moto of the 12-cyclist final. “I ripped my pants and fixed it immediately.”

Asuma Nakai, 23, a juniors bronze medallist at the UCI world championships in Nantes (France) last year, won the gold, followed by Southeast Asian Games champion Komet Sukpraset of Thailand and Coo.

Coo’s bronze gave the Philippines a medal in each of the last three Asian Games.

Danny Caluag won the country’s only gold medal in Incheon 2014 and bronze in Indonesia five years earlier.

After a strong race, 36-year-old Caluag finished sixth in the final. He raced after breaking a rib in US training.

Olympic Solidarity scholar Coo was “very happy” in Hangzhou.

I went straight to the largest one, the Asian Games,” Coo said as he thanked Philippine Olympic Committee president, Tagaytay Mayor Abraham Tolentino, who also heads PhilCycling.

“This could kick off more major accomplishments for Patrick,” Tolentino remarked. “He’s 21, so young, and he’s been training seriously and diligently under Olympic Solidarity for a year.”

Tolentino said cycling has shown its consistency in winning Asian Games medals.

“It motivates PhilCycling to achieve more internationally,” he said.

Coo arrived four days ago from Aigle, Switzerland, after his UCI World Cycling Center training camp.

He spent the night in Hangzhou, 150 kilometers from Chun’an, because he was routed to the main Athletes Village instead of a bus to the cycling venue.

His first-moto crash was typical. He usually does.

“I’m fast, but I’m always adrenaline-pumped. I must take it slowly by being cool on the bike, he advised.

Minutes after the marathon, Coo called his parents in the US, Benjamin from Iloilo and Romilyn Lag from Cagayan de Oro.

“They told me to pamper myself when I get back to the Philippines,” said Coo, who lives in Tagaytay City, home of the Philippines’ sole UCI BMX track.

“I haven’t eaten rice for the past three months while in Switzerland, so time to gorge in Tagaytay,” he remarked, “and a lot of isaw.”